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DECISION No. 165/2003/QD-TTg OF AUGUST 8, 2003 PROMULGATING THE REGULATION ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPOKESPERSON

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 23/2003/ND-CP of March 12, 2003 promulgating the Government's Working Regulation;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 18/2003/ND-CP of February 20, 2003 defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Government's Office;

At the proposal of the Minister-Director of the Government's Office,

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To promulgate together with this Decision the Regulation on the Prime Minister's Spokesperson.

Article 2.- This Decision takes effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 3.- The Minister-Director of the Government Office and the Prime Minister's Spokesperson shall assume the prime responsibility in organizing the implementation of this Regulation.

The ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the heads of the agencies attached to the Government, the chairmen of the People's Councils and the presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities as well as the heads of the concerned agencies shall have to implement this Decision.

Prime Minister
PHAN VAN KHAI

REGULATION ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPOKESPERSON

(Promulgated together with the Prime Minister's Decision No. 165/2003/QD-TTg of August 8, 2003)

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.- The Prime Minister's Spokesperson (hereinafter called the Spokesperson) is a person tasked by the Prime Minister to speak to the press on the Government's important undertakings, policies and decisions as well as on the Prime Minister's and Deputy-Prime Ministers' work of direction and administration for the implementation of the Government's working programs, and on other domains according to law provisions.

Article 2.- The Spokesperson's activities shall comply with the regulations of the Party and the State in the field of ideology and press information, the provisions in the Government's Working Regulation, issued together with the Government's Decree No. 23/2003/ND-CP of March 12, 2003, and the provisions in this Regulation.

Chapter II

CONTENTS OF THE SPOKESPERSON'S STATEMENTS TO THE PRESS

Article 3.- The contents of the Spokesperson's statements to the press cover the information, which is permitted for publicization, on:

1. The Government's activities and decisions to perform its State management function according to the provisions of the Constitution and the Law on Organization of the Government.

2. The Government's working programs and action programs for the implementation of the resolutions of the Party and the National Assembly.

3. The Government's resolutions and decrees as well as the Prime Minister's directives and decisions directing and organizing the performance of the tasks of building and defending the Fatherland; mechanisms and policies on socio-economic development, ensuring security and defense, external affairs,...

4. Contents of the Government's meetings.

5. The Government's reviews of its direction, administration and the implementation of the Government's Working Regulation.

6. The Prime Minister's and Deputy Prime Ministers' viewpoints and opinions on domestic and international events as well as important and urgent issues interested in by the press and the society.

7. Other activities of the Government, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers, which need to be publicized to the press and shall be decided by the Prime Minister.

Article 4.- The contents of the Spokesperson's statements to the press are official and authoritative information on the Government's and the Prime Minister's activities and viewpoints.

The contents of the Spokesperson's statements to the press shall be publicized on the mass media.

Chapter III

TASKS AND POWERS OF THE SPOKESPERSON

Article 5.- The Prime Minister's Spokesperson is the Government Office's specialist nominated by the Minister-Director of the Government Office and decided by the Prime Minister.

Article 6.- The Spokesperson shall have the following tasks:

1. To perform the task of speaking to the press on the contents prescribed in Article 3 of this Regulation.

2. To organize press conferences to inform the press of the contents prescribed in Article 3 of this Regulation.

3. To assist the Prime Minister in considering answering foreign press' interviews on Vietnam's situation.

Article 7.- The Spokesperson is entitled to refuse to answer questions on matters regarding the Government's or the Prime Minister's activities, which are beyond his/her speaking competence; to rectify untruthful information related to the Government's and the Prime Minister's viewpoints and activities.

Chapter IV

WORKING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SPOKESPERSON AND THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE AND OTHER AGENCIES

Article 8.- The Spokesperson is subject to the direct management by the Prime Minister and the Minister-Director of the Government Office.

Article 9.- The Spokesperson shall coordinate his/her work with the leaderships of the ministries, the ministerial-level agencies and the agencies attached to the Government as well as the leaderships of the People's Councils and the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities regarding matters related to his/her speaking task according to the provisions in this Regulation.

Chapter V

ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

Article 10.- The Spokesperson shall coordinate with the Government Office's Information and Press Center in performing the speaking task according to the provisions in this Regulation.

Article 11.- The Minister-Director of the Government Office and the Prime Minister's Spokesperson shall assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the ministries, the ministerial-level agencies, the agencies attached to the Government as well as the People's Councils and the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities in organizing the implementation of this Regulation; and monthly, report on the implementation thereof to the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister
PHAN VAN KHAI